A Tail of Sorts
by Sirius Dogstar
Summary: What happens when Hojo has way too much free time in Costa de Sol?


A Tail of Sorts  
  
By Sirius  
  
[pic]  
  
The team got off of the Shinra ship, everyone smiling at the sight of Costa de Sol. Schler could not help but find his gaze drift towards the beautiful women smiling on the tiny plane docked. Man, if he was still in that sailor suit he would show them just how good a man in uniform could really be!  
  
"Why don't we take some time off?" Tifa suggested. "I have been wanting to get a suntan for years! Who else wants to come?" Aeris quickly raised her hand, making Cloud raise a brow. Two bathing beauties? Could life get any better?  
  
"All right... I will go too!" he said, tyring hard not to show too much enthusiasm. "I'll be right back... gotta scout a spot you know!" As he walked off, Aeris and Tifa looked at each other.  
  
"Does this mean we get to see Cloud in his swimsuit?" Aeris asked smiling.  
  
"We can only hope!" Tifa replied with a wink, and with tthat the two headed off to get dressed. Barret looked to Red, still a little bit nervous about a talking animal with a flaming tail. But who else was there to talk to?  
  
"So honestly Red... how do I look in a sailor suit?" he asked.  
  
"Like a sailor," Red replied with a shrug, walking off. Meanwhile, Cloud had just stepped onto the beach when he met up with Hojo.  
  
"Hojo?" he asked/ Surrounding him were three beautiful women in skimpy bikinis, attending to the professor's every need.  
  
"Oh...you," Hojo said with a grin. "All of you staying for the night?" Cloud nodded, wary of Hojo but congenial nontheless.  
  
"Yes... we were planning on it." Hearing this Hojo crossed his arms, a cruel look on his face.  
  
"Then if I were you Cloud I suggest sleeping on your back. Their beds have a rough spot in them..." With that he kissed each of the ladies, and walked away. How nice of Hojo to warn him! But where were Tifa and Aeris? Hojo's spot was perfect! Oh well. Smiling, Cloud pulled off his shirt and tied it around his waist.  
  
"Ooooh... nice!" Aeris's voice said behind him. Cloud, surprised, whirled around to find both of the girls.  
  
"Oh Cloud," Tifa said. Both girls were in very small bikinis... and looked better than any of Hojo's girls put together!  
  
"Wow... you two look... I mean... hmmm..." he blushed, loosing the suave words he was going to say over the rush of hormones. The two came to either side of him as he fell, shaking their heads. Another wierd spell probably... what a guy!  
  
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"Hmmm... you shoul prove quite fun to play with..." Hojo's voice said. Cloud opened his eyes slowly, to find Hojo standing over him.  
  
"Hojo!" he yelled, bolting upright in his bed. "What are you doing here?" Hojo darted his eyes under his glasses, thinking quickly.  
  
"Well I... um... I came to wish you good night Cloud." Cloud relaxed a bit, and even gave a smile.  
  
"How nice of you Hojo! Good night to you too!" With that, Cloud fell asleep again. Hojo set on a pair of earmuffs as the smoring began again. Nobody would hear him working over that noise!  
  
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"Should we wake him up?" Tifa asked. "I mean he has a..."  
  
"Just what is wrong with that?" Red asked indignant, front paws crossed.  
  
"Not a thing," Tifa replied quickly. "It is just that... it is... er... um..."  
  
"Hilarious!" Barret yelled, doubling over with laughter. "Big macho man now has a ... hahaha!" Aeris looked to Cloud with a warm smile, then shifted to look at Barret with a look that could melt metal.  
  
"Ther is nothing wrong with it! It is kinda cute really..." Red nodded, pleased with this statement. "We should be supportive for Cloud and his..."  
  
"And my what?" Cloud asked as he sat up in bed. He looked up at the group, but none of them said a word. He then got out of bed, and did a through examination of himself. Turning around, he found a tail exactly like Red's peering at him. "I have a tail..." he said calmly.  
  
"Yes...er... that is what it looks like," Tifa said.  
  
"Do you know who gave it to you?" Aeris asked. Hmmmm... now that he thought about it...  
  
"Well, Hojo did come here last night to say good night before I fell asleep..."  
  
"Hojo?!?" they all yelled. Cloud nodded.  
  
"Well... if it helps I think it makes you look rather handsome," Red offered. Cloud sighed as he reached for his sword.  
  
"No Red... that does not help," he said. "How am I supposed to... oh never mind! Tail or no tail we must set off for Sephiroth! Come on!" Everyone nodded, grabbing their weapons as well. Cloud moved to the door but his tail moved first and...  
  
"OWIE!!!" he shouted, rubbing his tail. Tifa and Barret shook their heads, and cintinued on. Red and Aeris however helped him back up. Aeris even took the time to bandage the tail.  
  
"Thank you guys," he said. "This tail will take some getting used to!" Red nodded knowingly.  
  
"But it is pretty useful too Cloud. You will see, it will all get better..." Aeris nodded in agreement, setting her hands on Cloud's shoulders. Cloud just smiled with contentment. Oh... it was getting better already! Plus the look on Tifa's face when she looked back... now that was priceless!  
  
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"Um Cloud..." Aeris asked, pushing an amber lock away from her face.  
  
"Yeah Aeris?"  
  
"I know we have only just met and all but... would you like to... um... well..."  
  
"Kiss you?"he asked with a hopeful smile.  
  
"Yes!' she replied. Red raised a brow but smiled. Ah young love! Carefully, the group let Tifa and Barret walk ahead.  
  
"But why so suddenly?" he asked.  
  
"Must be your animal magnetism," she replied with a wink as she wrapped her arms around him.  
  
'What about my animal magnetism?' Red thought indignantly. But he said nothing, and just wtched the pair with a smile. Aeris kissed Cloud hard... in fact it was so hard that she fell into him. The two laughed, as they rolled on the ground together. He looked into her deep green eyes, she into his vibrant blue. Everything was so perfect!  
  
"Honestly, you are such an animal Cloud!" Aeris teased. Meanwhile, Tifa and Barret realized they were missing quite a few party members. They turned around and...  
  
"I know!" Cloud replied. He was about to kiss her again, when he found instead of her green eyes a pair of brown. "TIFA?!?" he yelled, jumping to his feet.  
  
"Practicing the kiss of death Cloud?" she asked, clenched fists on her hips.  
  
"Well I um... I was..."  
  
"You do not have to explain," Red said. "Young love... it is just so beautiful..." Tifa looked at Cloud, who just nodded. Angered, Tifa walked up to Aeris who had gotten up also.  
  
"I had him first!" she yelled, swinging a fist which Aeris deftly dodged.  
  
"You never had him as far as I know," Aeris replied with a smile. "Anyways he chose me."  
  
"Why you little..." The rest remained unspoken as Tifa lunged for Aeris. The two landed with a thump on the ground, brawling.  
  
"Shouldn't we save that kind of enthusiasm for Sephiroth?" Barret asked. Cloud just sighed and looked to Red.  
  
"You are so on your own here," Red said. Cloud groaned, as he looked down at the two still fighting.  
  
"STOP FIGHTING!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, and yet it had no effect. "NOWOAR!" Everyone stopped in their tracks. None of them had ever heard such a roar, not even Red! Hmm... what other benefits did this have? "That's better," he said with a smile.  
  
"Oh... um... sorry Cloud," Tifa said, releasing a lock of Aeris's hair.  
  
"Yes um... ditto," Aeris said with a sheepish smile, pulling her rod out of Tifa's rear.  
  
"It's okay... just next time it happens make sure it's in the mud!" Aeris and Tifa looked at each other, and they all laughed together.  
  
"Yes... they could be bathing beauties!" Barret joked.  
  
"But shouldn't we be on our way now?" Red asked.  
  
"Yeah... I suppose so," replied Cloud. So the gang continued on, until they reached a particularly overgrown area.  
  
"This ain't a problem for my sword," Cloud said smiling. He moved to whip it out... but his tail was in the way. "OWIE!!!" he yelled.  
  
"Welll now he knows where we are," Barret said with a grown.  
  
"Are you all right?" Aeris asked. Cloud just showed her the cut off tail, and she hugged him.  
  
"AERIS!!!" Tifa yelled.  
  
"Well," Red said with a shrug, "I guess that is the end of this tail..."  
  
The End? 


End file.
